King of the Merfolk
by sarahandmarquis
Summary: When Sarah was ten, the ship on which she and her mother had been traveling was destroyed by sirens off the coast of the United Kingdom. The wreck stole her mother from her but a finman with turquoise eyes saved her life from the black water. Twenty years later, she returned to the same shore in search of truth…and those turquoise eyes. WARNING: Extreme AU
1. Prologue

Prologue:

The wind whipped about the small ship, tossing it effortlessly among the waves. Singing cut like daggers through the storm's fury and into the hearts of the crew and trembling passengers, instilling fear and pain into the women and lethal attraction into the men.

"Mommy, make the singing stop!" A small girl cried as she huddled on her bunk, covering her ears with her hands as tears poured from her green eyes and down her cheeks. Her young mother pulled her daughter into her arms, exposing her own ears to the the agonizing songs. After covering the girl's hands with her own, she kissed her dark hair and begin to softly sing a nonsensical child's tune in hopes it would block out the chilling music.

When she had finished the first verse and moved to the second, their cabin door was flung open and a crewman rushed forward, grabbing both of them by their arms.

"Hurry! The ship's going down!" His eyes focused on the white face of the mother and the sobbing child.

"What's happened?" The mother demanded.

"The ship hit rocks. We don't have much time!" Without hesitation, he dragged the pair to the upper decks. As they surfaced, both gasped.

It was maddeningly beautiful.

Black waves, capped in frothing foam, smashed themselves against the ship and surrounding rocks, lit up only by the lightning splitting the sky. The mad waves threw the tiny craft they had called home all the way across the Atlantic all about, hurling it against rock. Wood splintered and the girl barely kept on her feet.

"Follow me!" The young sailor cried as he led them towards a life boat. His eyes were wild as he frantically looked about before seemingly drawing himself back to his purpose.

"Get in!" Neither of the ladies needed to be told twice. The mother hopped into the tiny boat and pulled her daughter with her, ignoring the blood dripping from her ears, quickly replacing her hands against her daughter's head.

The ship's crew seemed to have gone mad. Some were frozen in their places, eyes blank and empty, while others had flung themselves over the edge, not caring if they drowned or bashed their brains against the rocks.

Fortunately, none bothered the cabin boy and his two charges.

The girl buried her head into her mother's bosom, preferring the safety there to seeing the carnage around her. Her tears had paused but a fresh flood escaped. The boy dropped into the life boat and grabbed hold of the oars, his powerful arms dragging them through the water and propelling them away from the collapsing ship and the unearthly singing.

The daughter saw nothing but her mother watched as something dragged the wooden ship down into the raging ocean. Her fingers shook as she stroked her daughter's hair with one hand, being sure to keep her head pressed against her body in hopes that her flesh would block out any sound.

The cabin boy, try as he might, began to succumb to the calls, forgetting to row like he hand before. Crying out, the mother tried to remind him of his mission, but he was too far gone. His eyes blanked and he dropped the oars, abandoning them as he leaped into the water, swimming towards a rock. A bolt of lightning flashed behind it and revealed a woman lying on the black stone.

The mother shuddered, turning away from the form and grasping her daughter all the tighter.

"I love you." She whispered as their tiny boat was taken by a wave and hurled about. "I love you." She repeated as they smashed against one of the rocks.

"I love you, Mommy!" The girl screamed as their boat splintered and hurled them both into the black water. Unable to continue her hold on her daughter, the mother floundered before being yanked under.

The girl screamed for her mother but when all that answered were waves, she let out a wail, only to be silenced as a wave crashed over her, taking her under and filling her lungs with water. She surfaced moments later, coughing and sputtering as her cries for help and her mother became weaker. The rocks were far too slippery to grip and the waves tossed her around with no less ease than the ship.

After repeated dunkings, the girl weakened and found herself less able to hold her head above water, the cold seeping into her bones. Her eyes were blurring and, as she skipped beneath the waves, knowing this time she wouldn't come back, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her and pull her against a chest.

A naked chest.

To Jareth, there was nothing more beautiful than a storm. The sheer power and grace of the waves captivated him and often he would leave the safety of his castle to explore the violence of surface.

He needn't fear drowning as human did. Even the injuries that he sustained from being tossed against some rocks were simple to heal. The paths through the sharp rocks were quite a game for him. A sleek body, fitted with a strong, lean tail, propelled him quickly and easily through the swirling waters.

The night was late and the moon completely obscured by the thunderous clouds. Bolts of lightning provided sufficient light for his path as he cut through the surface of the water, going under or over waves.

During one of his travels, he had seen dolphins and fancied their manners of movement.

As he paused by a rock to admire the surrounding waterscape, he happened to catch the distant notes of sirens, singing to the ruin of some vessel.

Since he had nothing else to do, he pursed the sound and watched as a small wooden ship was smashed against the wild rocks by the untamed waves. Bodies were visible upon higher rocks where the waves had flung them. At first glance, it appeared as if there was nothing he could do, but, he happened to look twice and see a small row boat trying to escape the wreckage. His interest peaked, he moved closer and watched as the sailor jumped from the boat and swam, to his death, towards a siren on a rock nearby.

She vanished and he was drawn down into the black waters, never to resurface.

Jareth drew nearer and before he could aid the two women in the life boat, the vessel was tossed against the rocks and dismembered, the older woman falling into the water and being dragged down by the waves' ferocity.

The girl, on the other hand, kept crying and fighting every time she was drawn under, continually resurfacing until she was weak. Jareth was no fool so he waited until she was too weak to struggle before swimming towards her and carrying her to the shore. Within moments of laying her on the shore, she coughed herself awake and yanked away from his form, lying beside her on the pebbles. He supposed that waking to find a practically naked man in possession of a tail would be quite a shock to a human girl.

"Where do you hurt, fry?" He asked her, seeking to attend to her wounds as soon as possible.

"Who are you?" She demanded with a voice hoarse from saltwater and screaming.

"I am Jareth." He replied as he reached towards her and ran a finger around one abrasion from her tumultuous adventure.

"What are you?" She once more questioned, pulling away from her rescuer's hand.

"I am one of the Finfolk, cousins to the Merfolk. Now, tell me where you are hurting." He asked once more. she hesitated before naming the various places that aches.

Several minutes of healing later, the girl was healthy in body as ever she had been yet still completely broken emotionally. During the whole healing time, she had been sobbing her eyes out, crying softly for her mother who Jareth well knew was cold dead beneath the waves.

"Have you any family, fry?" He inquired as he formed a cloak from the foaming waters, draping the newly made cloth about her shoulders, willing it to warm her through the damp of her ruined dress.

"My grandparents…and an uncle and aunt." She whispered, huddling beneath the cloak after examining it to be sure the odd creature before her had enchanted it somehow.

"I shall take you to a fisherman's hut nearby. Tell him you were shipwrecked and Jareth sent you to him. He'll care for you." He drew himself out off of the land, his tail melting away into a pair of legs clad in completely dry gray tights.

Standing to his feet, Jareth held out his hands to the little girl who grabbed them. With a single fluid motion, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her on his hip as they began to climb the rough path which led up the cliff face.

The girl tried to restrain her crying but failed miserably as her tears soaked the black cloak that hung from his bare shoulders.

"It's all right to weep, fry." He whispered into her ear, tugging her cloak tighter around her shaking body. Shock was setting in and if he didn't hurry, hypothermia from the freezing water would soon take over.

The heather brushed against his running black-booted feet as he rushed the child to the fisherman's hut. Laying her down on the welcome mat, he banged on the door of the hut, waited a moment to hear someone stirring inside before awkwardly patting the girl's shoulders and vanishing back into the night.

Released from the burden of the girl's form, he swiftly descended the stone path, diving into the sea as soon as he arrived back at the shore. He felt quite confident as the water rushed over his recently returned tail that the girl would never return so he left her with her memories.

A very few memories of her aquatic rescuer.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

"Sarah, you can't be serious!" Her fiancé of two years exclaimed as he leaned forward across the dining table. Their date had been a lovely affair, lit by candles, with wine and fine food until she had spoken up.

"I am completely serious, Heath. I believe I must postpone our wedding one last time." Sarah Williams looked up at him and sighed, setting her napkin and the empty plate aside for the waiter to remove. Folding her hands before her, she frowned.

"Why? I thought we had it figured out. We found a time that would work for both of us. Why must we find another." Sarah glanced down at diamond ring on her left hand. Turning the item of jewelry, she admired how it sparkled in the candles.

"I received a message today from an oceanographer friend of mine who found the ship that is believed to have been the one which took my mother."

"Oh." Her fiancé looked appropriately ashamed.

"I've always wanted to know what happened that night. I don't remember much but what I do remember is quite fantastical! Before I settle down with you, I want to know."

"I suppose I can understand that. Do you want me to come with you?" Sarah shook her head and moved her hands to her lap.

"No, I want to go alone. I shouldn't be gone more than a month or two."

"This isn't just another reason to make us wait, is it? I know you've never been particularly excited about our wedding." Sarah laughed a little and nodded politely at the waiter as he took away their empty dishes.

"You're right about my anticipation but, no, this isn't a ploy to make us wait." Their relationship had been one of a ten-year duration and, while their passion wasn't very great for each other, they did love each other. After all, Sarah, at thirty, and Heath, at forty, weren't getting any younger.

They easily imagined themselves happy together.

"Well, then be careful. You don't know I don't like the sea!" The pair shared a laugh as he paid for their meal and stood up, handing Sarah her cloak.

"I know! I shall keep myself from getting eaten or drowned." She lightly leaned up and kissed his cheek before pulling the cloak around her shoulders. "Thank you for understanding. I had hoped I wouldn't have to move the wedding but it was unavoidable."

"Of course. When are you leaving?"

"I booked the earliest flight I could tomorrow. I must pack this evening."

"Call me before you leave. When you return, we can plan a new date to be as soon as possible." As they left the restaurant, he offered his arm which she accepted with a smile. The walk to the cars was a quiet one as little needed to be said between them. After an acquaintance of ten years, they rarely ever talked much, a fact that was comfortable to both of them.

When they arrived at her car, he stopped and opened the driver's side for her.

"I'll suppose I'll see you when you come home?" She nodded.

"I'll call when I leave and when I return. Keep out of trouble." She chuckled and lightly kissed his lips before getting into the car and driving away.

Soft music hummed in the background as Sarah drove through the streets of Woods Hole, Massachusetts, a tiny town with less than a thousand people. The town had been her home since she had graduated from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution eight years previously and been hired on as part of the staff.

Parking in front of her apartment complex, she fished out her key to her mailbox and checked the mail before hurrying to apartment. Many times she had been encouraged to find another, larger apartment that was more befitting her means but Sarah had never considered it worthwhile. Her relationship with the landlady was pleasant and the placed served the few need she had. No need to flaunt her good fortune.

As she entered her home, she set her purse down on the kitchen counter, before walking into her bedroom whose walls were completely covered in pictures of merfolk, drawings and real pictures of fakes. Several hypothetical models stood in one corner, peering out at her from their empty, glass eyes. Books on merfolk cluttered her desk and were jammed into a shelf that bowed beneath their weight.

Multiple times she had been laughed out of the room for even mentioning that merfolk might exist somewhere in the world. Few, if any, wanted to devote money towards research on the subject as it wasn't scientific to look for mythological creatures. And, so, Sarah kept her studies to herself, spending extra money to learn what she could.

Her most prized possession of her merfolk things hung above her bed.

An artist's rendition of what had happened when she had been ten. Together they had spent hours talking through her memories and he had developed a composite of paintings that told the story she remembered at the time.

Staring at it, she shivered beneath the piercing gaze of the merman in the picture. All she could remember about him was blond hair with turquoise eyes, one pupil larger than the other.

His gift had been the cloak she was almost never seen without.

That scrap of cloth itself was quite the oddity. Never exactly the same color from one moment to the next, varying with the weather that blew through the coastal town. Grays, olive greens, navy blues, and whites tinted it when a storm ruled in the ocean, and deep blues and light greens colored it when the sun was out.

Several of her friends who put up with her obsession for merfolk offered to test the material in the lab but she refused. Long ago she had decided no information she found would be released before proof had been gained.

Her cloak was no different.

After all, she needed to know why its chemical composition was the exact same as sea water.

" _Are ya all packed up and ready to roll?_ "

Sarah chuckled as she laid back on her bed and answered the phone.

"Hello, Jolene. Yes, I am. Why do you ask? Hoping to tag along with me?" The reply was a hearty laugh from her decidedly southern friend.

" _Nah, ya know I can't. You may be able to leave for a month or two whenever it strikes ya fancy but I can't._ "

"Poor, unfortunate you. Perhaps when you're in my position you'll be able to."

" _Like that's goin' to happen any time soon. Remember, ya promised to bring back pictures for me. I doubt I'll ever have the money or courage to go 'cross the Atlantic._ "

"Who knows. Maybe one day you will."

" _Dear, it took me long enough to up among ya Yankees. I don't think I could go back to the old country. But enough about my troubles, when ya leavin'?_ "

"Seven-thirty in the morning."

" _Well, you're certainly leavin' in a hurry. I'll keep you in mind while you're gone. Call me when you get there._ "

"Okay. I'll tell you everything that happens."

" _Promise?_ "

"Promise."

" _Then I'll let ya go. You're probably wantin' to sleep. Adios!_ "

"Adios, amigo." The phone clicked in her ear and Sarah restored it to its set before slipping out of her dressing gown and into her nightgown, smiling at the thought of her friend.

Jolene had been a transfer from a two-year junior college in the South to WHOI five years previously and had struck up a friendship with Sarah Williams; something that the latter credited to the completely polarity of their personalities, one being a studious and thoughtful brunette and the other an untamed redhead prone to 'winging it' in her studies.

The thought of the slightly mad woman left Sarah chuckling as she tucked herself into bed, the cloak laid around her shoulders.

Her mind was in a complete fog as the incessant ringing of her alarm woke her from her sound sleep. Groggily sitting up, she dragged herself out of bed and quickly brushed her teeth. As soon as her eyes were open, she walked over to her radio and turned it on, the soft music of 'Absolute Beginners' flooding the apartment. Without thinking, she began to sing along,

" _If our love song could fly over mountains, could laugh at the ocean, just like the films. There's no reason to feel all the hard times, to lay down the hard times. It's absolutely true!_ " After finishing the chorus, she laughed to herself and fixed herself a quick bite to eat, nothing too strong should there be turbulence.

Years of flying had taught her well.

When the meal was over and the music had changed to songs she didn't care for quite as much, she turned it off and went to dress. Simple comfortable clothes would be her attire for the long day before her. After confirming she had everything she needed, Sarah called a cab and went to the street with her things to wait.

By nightfall, she would be in the United Kingdom.

"Perhaps then I shall know the truth."

Her eyes closed and on their lids she saw turquoise eyes.

As the plane landed and all the passengers disembarked, Sarah wended her way through customs and found herself outside of the airport with her overnight bag in one hand, her purse on her shoulder, and a suitcase in the other hand. Winter was descending upon the British Isles and she shuddered as a cold north wind flew by her, leaving ice particles on her coat.

Clouds frowned down at her as she hailed a cab and gave him directions to the hotel where a room had been reserved for her. Apparently, her advice and presence was important to the maritime archeologists involved; the reason for that unknown to the marine biologist.

Remembering her promise to her friend, she fished out her cellphone and dialed the number. After several rings, the answering machine picked up,

" _You have reached the residence of Jolene Adams. Please leave a message after the tone._ " A soft ring chimed in her ear and Sarah said,

"Hey, Jolene. This is Sarah. I just wanted to let you know I arrived safely and had an easy trip. I'll call you back another time. Bye." After pressing the end button, she carefully stowed the phone back into her purse and turned her attention towards the bleak surrounding running by her.

During the twenty years since the shipwreck, she had passed through the United Kingdom several times, even lived for six months in London and then for another two months in Swansea, Wales, but never once taken a fancy towards the climate of the area. Despite there only being one line of latitude between them, there was a significant different, at least to Sarah's point of view.

As the cabby rattled on in a thick Irish brogue, she politely ignored him and pondered the situation at hand. Facing her past hadn't, up until now, been a big deal to her. Oddly enough, she had handled her mother's passing with some ease, hurting of course but using the pain and loss to motivate her. Yet now, she was on the brink of discovering the reasons behind everything, learning what force had thrown a twist into her future; something likely to destroy the calm facade she had presented for years.

Her mind wandered for a moment before being jolted back to reality by the squeaking of the cab's breaks and the man informing her they had arrived at her destination. She paid him his rate with a modest tip in addition to it as he had done well. Tugging her cloak closer around her shoulders, she grabbed her two bags and glanced about her. As her trip had been one of great haste, she hadn't even taken a moment to find out about her accommodation but it appeared her hotel was on the coast, the breaking of the waves ringing in her ears.

Bracing herself against the cold wind of the evening, she hurried through the doors of the Victorian style hotel. Pausing only a moment to take in the magnificence of the place, she stepped towards the registration desk and set her bags down, pulled off her gloves and addressed the gentleman behind the counter.

"My name is Sarah Williams and I was informed there would be a room registered for me." The man nodded and checked the records before returning and handing her a paper to sign.

"Yes, Madam, Mr. Fredrick Grey told us you would be arriving today. Your room number is 300 and is on the fourth floor." He snapped his fingers and a young page darted over.

"Show Ms. Williams to her room, Gregory." The page bobbed his head and gathered to her bags in his hands before gesturing for her to follow him. Only moments passed as they stepped into the elevator and ascended to the fourth floor. Her room was down the hall a little bit and as they arrived, the page set down her bags and opened the door.

Sarah entered and glanced around in pleasant surprise. While there was no doubt that the hotel was high-end, she hadn't been expecting more than a modest room that would suit her needs. Instead, what greeted her eyes was more of a suite, larger than her apartment back in Massachusetts.

"Is the room all right, Miss?" Inquired the page to which Sarah merely nodded, taking her bags from him and fishing around in her purse for a tip.

"Thank you, yes." The page tucked the folded bills away in his pocket before he passed her several pamphlets.

"Have a good evening, Madam. If anything is not to your liking, please ring the front desk." He nodded his head towards her and stepped away. "Is there anything further I may assist you with?"

"No, thank you." With a parting smile, the page left, allowing Sarah a chance to look about her surroundings. The main door opened into her living room, a spacious place featuring several pieces of very comfortable looking furniture, including a love seat and several arm chairs. Small end tables sat in key points and a state-of-art TV hung on one white wall.

Off to her right was the bedroom and bathroom, both elegant and inviting. After depositing her bags next to her bed, she ventured beyond her living room and into the kitchenette and dining room area, finding to her surprise a mini refrigerator already stocked with some food sitting next to the table which could easily sit six.

"They spared no expense." She muttered to herself as she pulled out a peach from the fridge and took a bite before sitting down at the dining table. A small card, taped to the wood surface, caught her eye and she set the peach down and picked it up, turning it over several times, noting only the presence of her name on the paper.

Fetching a knife from the kitchenette, she slit the tape binding the paper and unfolded the letter, knitting her eyes brows as she read the contents out loud,

" _'To Ms. Williams: I trust your trip was pleasant and you found your accommodations to your liking. Feel free to partake of any amenities that you may like as your bill is completely covered. I understand you may be exhausted from your journey so, relax and please call the number enclosed in the morning so we may arrange our itinerary.'_ " Sarah glanced towards the bottom of the letter, taking note of the name at the bottom and the phone number after his name.

"Fredrick Grey." She nodded and tucked the note away in safe keeping. Returning to her peach, she finished it and tossed the stone away into the trash before washing her hands in the sink. Flicking open her phone, Sarah dialed Heath's number and let it ring through, once more catching the voice mail.

"Hey, Heath, it's me. I'm just calling to tell you I arrived safely. No need to worry too much about me. I'll call you again tomorrow. Love you." She ended the phone and glanced down at her clothing, recalling the lovely bath the hotel suite had provided.

"I believe a shower is in order." She remarked as she returned her room and shed her clothes, anxious to soak her muscles in the warm water.


	3. Chapter 2

Review Replies:

Jetredgirl: Thank you for taking the time to comment and I really appreciate your praise!

Rosie: It was my intention to make it a little bit off the beaten path and I am glad to have succeeded!

Honoria Granger: Thank you! I do hope you like my future chapters!

PeachyMcPeach: Yes, you are right, peaches have stones, not cores. I don't know how I managed to mess that one up because I have grown peaches and frequently ate them. Thank you for catching it and I have made the appropriate change.

Chapter 2:

 _Waves crashed against the stones of the beach and Sarah turned away from the spray, turning her eyes towards the rest of the coast where a person was approaching her. A black cloak whipped behind him as the sea breeze caught it. His tight chest and abdomen were on display for her viewing, save for where his gray tights began, ending with black, heeled boots._

 _Blond hair fluttered about his face, the breeze catching several locks and driving them away from his face, revealing a pair of turquoise eyes, peering into hers. Shivering, she tried to look away him but found herself rooted to the spot._

 _He stood before her, no more than a dozen steps away, saying nothing while he looked at her. Moments of complete stillness passed between them before she reached out towards him, only to feel water suddenly gathering around her ankles and swirling towards her knees. Crying out, she felt a wave crash over her, the cold water soaking her formerly dry skin._

 _A second wave knocked her down and a rip current yanked her out towards the sea. Unable to breath, she panicked and fought as blackness descended upon her._

Sarah sat bolt upright, gasping for breath as she glanced about her while her heart thundered in her chest.

Apparently, she had fallen asleep in the tub after her long soak. Shaking violently, she stepped out of the now freezing water and wrapped a fluffy towel around her. Despite loving the sea and learning about it, drowning had always been the one thing in life she feared. Being locked away from air by the unforgiving water terrified her beyond her wildest dreams.

Drying her body, she went to her bags and picked up her cloak, draping it around her shoulders and wrapping it around her trembling body.

There would be no more sleep for her tonight.

Snuggled inside the folds of the cloak, she pulled a book out of her bag and flipped through it, barely recognizing the meaning of the black lines on the white paper. Still slightly shaken from her nightmare, she tossed the book aside and walked into the living room, preferring to flip through the channels of the TV, landing on the Discovery channel and allowing the narrator to drone on about something uninteresting.

Her mind drifted back to the dream which was fading quickly from her memory except for the man's eyes. Those perfect turquoise eyes so like the ones which haunted her memories long before the dream.

After nearly two hours of rocking back and forth on the love seat in the living room, Sarah deemed it late enough to call the phone number that Mr. Grey have given her. Keeping the cloak tight about her, she hurried into her room and changed into a fresh set of clothes and brushed her hair before grabbing the letter and dialing the number.

It rang several times before a gentleman answered,

" _Fredrick Grey speaking. How may I help you?_ "

"Mr. Grey, this is Ms. Williams. You told me to call you this morning, I believe."

" _Ah! Yes, I did. I trust you had a pleasant trip?"_ The kindly voice on the other end inquired, peppered with a distinctly British accent.

"Yes, it was."

" _And, your hotel is to your liking?_ "

"Very much so. It's quite the upgrade from my apartment." She chuckled quietly. "You mentioned discussing our itinerary?"

" _Yes, I did. I thought that we might meet for lunch and become acquainted and, after the lunch is over, perhaps you'd like to see how far we've gotten so far?_ " Sarah thought for a moment before saying,

"Sounds like a fine plan. Who all will be present for lunch?"

" _Myself, my wife, and Jared Finning, the main financial backer of our expedition. I know a lovely restaurant near the hotel. If you don't mind Chinese?_ "

"Not a problem. I love Chinese."

" _Wonderful! Would noon work well for you?_ "

"Yes, noon is perfect."

" _I shall send a chauffeur for you. Until noon, Ms. Williams._ "

"Until noon." She replied as the phone clicked off in her ear and she ended her side of the connection. Glancing at the time, she returned to her bedroom and lounged for an hour before rising and applying makeup. After finished with the thin coat of eyeliner, she grabbed her purse and hurried from her room to the elevator.

Just as she reached the front desk and the doors leading out, the chauffeur arrived and called out her name.

"Present and accounted for." She replied to him as she walked up. He bowed slightly and led her out to the sleek car. After opening one of the doors for her, she settled inside the plush interior and waited for him to pull away from the hotel. Their drive, though quite short, was delightful as the clouds had parted to reveal a day without rain, rare from her memory of the UK.

When the car stopped before the elegant restaurant, the chauffeur opened the door for her and escorted her to the entrance, leaving her to make her way inside. A waiter stepped up to her and asked for her reservation to which she told him she was in the party with the Greys. Instantly recognition zipped across his face and he quickly led her towards a private room.

Within the room stood two people, a middle-aged man with graying hair to match his gray suit and a young blonde woman no more than thirty in a yellow summer dress. No couple she had ever seen before had appeared so completely opposite.

They turned to face her and one's face lit up with a smile while the other remained calm.

"You must be Sarah Williams!" The woman stepped towards her and grasped her hand firmly in hers. "I'm Penelope Grey and this is my husband, Fredrick Grey, but I understand you two have already spoken over the phone." Sarah nodded and smiled politely at the lady, pleasantly surprised at her exuberance.

"Yes, we have. A pleasure to meet you both." Mr. Grey stepped forward and shook her hand when she offered it to him.

"The pleasure is all ours. You won't mind if the meal is held up a little, would you? Jared was delayed by traffic." Sarah shrugged and shook her head.

"Not a problem at all. I completely understand." He nodded and pulled out her chair for her before helping his wife into her seat and taking one beside her.

"I won't mince words, Ms. Williams. I brought you here with the hopes you might be able to provide some more insight as to why the ship sunk." Sarah folded her hands before her on the table and glanced towards the red curtains hanging in front of the window.

"There is nothing more to be said than what has already been published for the public to read. I don't remember much. I was only ten after all."

"I know but I had hoped that returning to the spot might refresh your memory. There is no logical reason for a ship, captained by a perfectly capable man with an excellent proven crew, would sink where no ship would dream of going near. You are the only survivor."

"I wouldn't know about the quality of men on board. My mother never let me associate with any of them." Mr. Grey's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Why didn't she?"

"My mother didn't trust men. It was a rule that she or I would never be alone with any male."

"Ah, that explains it." He replied and as he began to change the subject, he glanced behind her and grinned, "Ah, Jared, I'm glad to see you could make it."

Sarah turned to face the gentleman and her breath stuttered in her lungs. Déjà vu washed over her despite his slender figure, golden blond hair and handsome face were completely unknown to her. Somewhere, in a forgotten memory, she had met him and her mind took note of it. Despite her first tendency being to stare at him until her memory was recalled properly, she schooled her face into a cool mask of businesslike politeness and waited for Mr. Grey to introduce her to the odd gentleman.

When Mr. Grey turned to her and completed the introductions, she offered her hand to him shake.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Finning. I wanted to thank you for funding this mission." He grasped her hand in his and shook it firmly, his lips parting in a smile and saying in the loveliest of British accents,

"It's my pleasure." After gracing him with a small smile, Sarah replied,

"I thank you nevertheless." He shrugged and ran a hand through his short blond hair, pulling a stray lock away from his face only to have his eyes, in the beginning a rather unremarkable shade of blue, flare turquoise for a moment before returning to their former mediocrity.

The alteration flashed so quickly Sarah doubted if she had seen it at all or if it had simply been a passing terror from her nightmare.

Her eyes must have relayed some discomfort because Mr. Fenning immediately frowned and lightly touched her hands.

"Are you all right, Ms. Williams?" Sarah nodded and pushed aside the occasion as completely unimportant.

"Yes, I am. My apologies, I'm just a little tired. Nothing to worry about." Mr. Finning's blond eyebrows knitted together but nothing more was said on the subject as they all sat down to lunch.

After giving the Asian waitress their drink orders, three teas and one water, Sarah hesitated to start a conversation. Even after spending most of her life among strangers, she was still uncomfortable in their presence. The years had simply taught her how to appear content among them. Oddly enough, it was Mr. Finning to turned to address her,

"I have heard you are a marine biologist." She smiled politely and focused on his blue eyes, half-hoping for a reoccurrence of the turquoise glow.

"Yes, I graduated from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution six years ago with a Master's degree. I'm hoping to someday go back for my PhD."

"I've heard of the Institution. Very good from what I understand." An prize smile adorned his lips and Sarah had to remind herself that she wasn't a teenager but, in fact, a thirty-year-old woman who was engaged to boot! The simple recalling of her kindly fiancé's face proved sufficient to distract her from the masculine beauty before her.

"Oh, yes, very thorough in their teaching. The campus was well kept and provided a charming learning environment." The waitress returned with their drinks and Sarah paused a moment to sip on her water. The cold liquid slid down her throat, leaving a comfortable cold streak, and one of her teeth rebelled against the cold, causing some slight pain. When it had faded, she inquired,

"Where did you attend, if it's not too bold to ask."

"Not too bold at all. My parents sent me to Malvern College in Great Malvern, England. My mother insisted I major in business and management so I would never lack a job." He leaned forward and chuckled a little as if sharing a deep secret, "I minored in music and used my business degree to work in that field."

Sarah giggled.

"A perfect way to use them both!" At that moment, a waiter and two waitresses arrived with pre-ordered food and served it before the four diners. Sarah's eyes skimmed over the plates of steaming vegetables and meats covered in delectable sauces setting next to several plates of cold, boiled shrimp.

"I hope all of this is satisfactory to everyone?" Mr. Grey queried, as he gestured towards the plates.

"Quite satisfactory." Mr. Finning replied, glancing towards Sarah to confirm his statement. Her positive opinion was quickly added to his and several moments passed as everyone sorted out their plates and filled them. Once the first bites had been chewed and declared delicious, Mrs. Grey said to Sarah,

"I understand you are engaged?"

"Yes, Mrs. Grey, I am. For the past two years, we've been trying to arrange our schedules and, when we get home, we're going to hopefully find the permanent date." After sending the woman a kind smile, Sarah took a bite of a freshly shelled shrimp.

"I hope my husband's request didn't cause you to have to move the date!" She exclaimed and turned towards Mr. Grey. "Fredrick, you didn't tell me you were making this poor girl to move her wedding date! How could you!?" She tossed her blond hair in a whipping motion and managed to lightly slap the ends of the curls against his clean-shaven face, earning a smile from Sarah at their adorable interaction.

"Think nothing of it, Mrs. Grey. We had a few things that weren't coming together as it was anyway." While not completely a lie, it was hardly the full truth. Had it not been for Mr. Grey contacting her, she would have wedded Heath and any problems would have been handled easily enough.

"Still, a girl shouldn't have to postpone her own wedding to just to help an ornery old maritime archaeologist with his discoveries." This time, Mrs. Grey just frowned in the direction of her husband who was trying to fight back a smile while making his wife believe he was contrite.

"Well, perhaps it worked out for the best. I probably should face my past before I move on with my future." Sarah offered, finishing off her sixth shrimp and beginning on the seventh.

"A very excellent point. I had to do it myself and my life was quite boring. And, please, call me Penny. No need to use proper titles when we are so close in age."

"Thank you…Penny." She said, testing the name before smiling gently and popping the shrimp into her mouth and washing it down with a long drink of water. Mr. Finning sipped on his tea before saying,

"Feel free to call me Jared, if you like. Mr. Finning is so formal."

"Thank you as well, Jared." She responded, appreciating their attempts at making her comfortable with them. Penny seemed like a delight lady and the nearness of their ages would make friendships easier to formulate. Mr. Grey while old enough to be her father hardly acted like it and appeared to not have much to say, a trait she appreciated. Any relationship between them would obviously been business only.

As for Jared, she wasn't sure in what category to place him. While in possession of all the charms of a Casanova, his actions weren't overt, and his mood was completely infectious, instilling her with warmth and happiness from the moment she had moved beyond the turquoise flare in his eyes.

Tempers and character traits organized and recorded in her mind, Sarah set aside any reserves she might have had and turned her attention towards the matter at hand.

"What were your plans when it came to this afternoon?" She inquired before testing a crab claw and noting the flavor was wonderful. Jared, Penny, and Mr. Grey all looked at each before they appeared to choose Mr. Grey as the organizer.

"I was thinking that perhaps we could all go either to the house we rented containing all the artifacts from the wreck or go the site of the wreck itself. I know an artist that would love to sketch your memories of the wreck as it coordinates with the current landmarks. Would that be acceptable to you?" He asked as he finished off the contents of his plate and sipped the last bit of his tea.

"Yes." She replied, quickly scrolling through in her head certain key points about the appearance of that night. "Yes, that would be fine."

"Then we shall leave right away." Mr. Grey picked up the ticket which the waiter had left and departed to the pay the bill.


End file.
